Portret van Anna Luise Karsch 1763

Curator: This etching by Georg Friedrich Schmidt, completed in 1763, is titled "Portret van Anna Luise Karsch." It currently resides in the Rijksmuseum. My eye is immediately drawn to the meticulous detail of the aquaforte etching. The tonal range is quite striking. What are your initial impressions? Editor: A kind of resolute tranquility radiates from it, I think. Her profile is firm, almost severe, yet framed by those softer floral motifs…it’s as if her strength is softened by nature. Curator: It's important to note the context of printmaking during this period. These prints were instrumental in disseminating knowledge and constructing reputations, circulating images beyond the confines of portraiture intended for wealthy clientele. Anna Luise Karsch was a famous German poet, which makes the inclusion of the lyre at the bottom rather clever. Editor: That lyre is like a whisper of her voice made visible! Considering Karsch's own life – her humble beginnings and then, her literary ascent… seeing her rendered here through what I imagine was a very labour-intensive printing process does highlight the democratizing power of the press itself. Curator: Exactly. The laborious technique contrasts beautifully with the subject, hinting at a leveling of social stature via mass reproduction and dissemination of intellectual material. But what did the act of printing afford women that other mediums perhaps could not? Editor: Well, it allowed women access to a world that remained largely inaccessible; not only by spreading their image to the world, but also opening up other pathways into artistic expression, craftsmanship, commerce and, thus, some forms of agency. Curator: Indeed. This etching acts as evidence of that very assertion, serving a crucial role in Karsch's legacy. Editor: It really is quite remarkable, isn't it? Both Karsch’s journey, and how this rather delicate image captures the immensity of it all.